My name is Christy Lilley. I'm 32 years old and live in Charlotte, N.C., with my husband, Jim, and our 20-month-old son, James. We've been married seven years and are expecting baby number two, a girl, on July 21.

Like much of Charlotte's population, we are Northern transplants. We both hail from outside of Buffalo, N.Y. Jim and I met in law school and moved to Charlotte for better jobs and much better weather. I work as an in-house attorney for a Fortune 500 company in the telecommunications industry. Jim works at a bank as a financial planning strategist.

Life is pretty hectic with two full-time careers and a toddler running around getting into everything. The idea of two children so close in age seemed a lot better before he was mobile. Some days it seems like we are barely getting by, yet we love watching him grow and seeing the world through his eyes.

It doesn't seem like I have much free time lately, but before kids we loved to travel, enjoyed food and wine and cooking. I also love to exercise and be active. I like everything from running, to yoga, to hiking, to aerobics, to biking.

Christy and her husband, Jim, on their wedding day
Courtesy of Christy Lilley
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Courtesy of Christy Lilley

Christy and her husband, Jim, on their wedding day

Courtesy of Christy Lilley

This pregnancy has been quite different from my first, starting with the morning sickness and nausea that lasted well into the second trimester. The second time around is a lot harder because you are chasing after a toddler who doesn't care if you are sick or exhausted. I was also hospitalized earlier this month for high blood pressure and am now home on bed rest for the remainder of my pregnancy. I developed preeclampsia at 37 weeks in my first pregnancy, so the fear was that preeclampsia was setting in earlier this time.

For now I've been diagnosed with pregnancy-induced hypertension but am being monitored very closely by my doctors to see if it develops into preeclampsia. I go to the doctor twice a week for blood pressure checks and non-stress tests, and monitor my blood pressure at home. So far my blood pressure is responding well to bed rest, and the baby is doing great, so the hope is that we'll be able to keep her inside as long as possible.

My birth plan is that I don't have one. I know that the baby will be born in a hospital, Jim will be present, and I'll probably have an epidural, but other than that I'm not planning anything. After unexpected complications in my first pregnancy, and a very long and difficult induction, I decided that some things are better left unplanned.

Christy with her first child, James
Courtesy of Christy Lilley
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Courtesy of Christy Lilley

Christy with her first child, James

Courtesy of Christy Lilley

Those who know me know that I'm an uber-planner, so it is completely unlike me to give up control — but a healthy mom and baby are the most important things in the end. So I'm willing to place all my faith in my doctors and do whatever they say is necessary to get her here safely, even if that means an induction, pitocin or a C-section.

I know in the age of home and water births, doulas and going med-free, my attitude is an unpopular one. I also know that none of those options would be available to me if what happened last time happens again this time. So for me, it's best to go with the flow and not set too many expectations that could leave me disappointed or feeling like a failure if things don't go as planned.

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Welcome to The Baby Project, where we document the journey to motherhood. Join nine pregnant women across the U.S. as they share their experiences — from the last month of pregnancy, to the delivery, to the first few weeks of life with a newborn.